32Appliances for conveying fire-smothering gas into cargo spaces

32 Appliances for conveying fire-smothering gas into cargo spaces

(1) Subject to this regulation, a ship of 2,000 tons or over shall be furnished with appliances by means of which fire-smothering gas can be readily conveyed by a permanent piping system into any cargo space.

(2) The appliances shall be capable of supplying and conveying a minimum volume of free gas equal to 30 per cent of the gross volume of the largest cargo space in the ship that is capable of being effectively closed.

(a) there is available in a ship, whilst it is in commission, a boiler or boilers capable of evaporating one kilogram of steam per hour for each 0.75 cubic metre of the gross volume of the largest cargo space in the ship that is capable of being effectively closed; and

(b) the Authority is satisfied that:

(i) the steam will be available immediately and will not be dependent upon the lighting of the ship’s boiler or boilers;

(ii) sufficient steam for the fire-smothering installation will be supplied at all times together with the normal requirements of the ship; and

(iii) adequate arrangements have been made for the supply of the water to be used in the fire-smothering installation;

the ship may, instead of the appliances required to be furnished by subregulation (1), be furnished with appliances by means of which steam may be conveyed by a permanent piping system from the boiler or boilers into any cargo space in the ship.

(4) Subregulation (3) does not apply to and in relation to a compartment in which prescribed explosives are stowed.

(5) Where a ship is a tanker, the ship may, instead of the appliances required to be furnished by subregulation (1), be furnished with:

(a) the appliances referred to in subregulation (3) if it complies with the conditions specified in that subregulation; or

(b) a froth fire extinguishing installation of the gravity type or the continuous-generator type, fitted in such a manner as the Authority directs, that complies with the requirements for the type specified in Schedule 1.

(6) The Authority may exempt a ship, other than a nuclear ship or a tanker, from the requirements of subregulation (1) if it is satisfied that:

(a) the holds of the ship are provided with steel hatch covers and effective means are provided for closing all ventilators and other openings leading to the holds;

(b) the ship is contructed for, and employed solely in, the carriage of ore, coal or grain; or

(c) it is unreasonable, having regard to the short duration of the voyages on which the ship is engaged, to require compliance with those requirements.

(7) Where prescribed explosives are stowed in a compartment, that compartment and the adjoining cargo compartments shall be furnished with a fire or smoke detection system.